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Sept 1983
Milo and Helen Whitehead
Feb 8, 2006 I wrote this story and read it for my Aunt Helen Whitehead for her 90th birthday party. Helen was my mom’s sister and both married Whitehead brothers, Raymond (my dad) and Uncle Mike.
Do You Remember When…
Helen and Mike started dating…It was 1936 when the Whitehead family moved to where Thelbert Kendrick lives now. It was then that they started dating.
Everyone in the area had house dances, rolling up the rugs and dancing. Loury played the fiddle. Bryan Lawson and all the King kids, Bill Wilcox, and Ansel Ankeny played music.
Helen and Milo were married…on Nov 26, 1938 in Maryville at the Christian Church. Raymond and Marie stood up with them. No Honeymoon…went home and Mama (my grandma Pullen) had supper and invited Glee and Abbey Mauderly and Loury and Gertie Whitehead. Later over 100 people gave a shivaree.
Do You Remember When..
On March 1, 1939 Helen and Mike moved to Harry Hall place. It was there that Phyllis was born on Sept 16, 1939. Merl and Mabel Rhamy were neighbors and remained life long friends. In 1941 moving to the Max Webb place south of Guss. Living there 2 years and moved to a 160 acre farm called the Richardson place. (Keith O’dell farm now) Richard was born there on Aug 3, 1944.
Mike lost his arm there. It was Nov. 1946 when he was unloading corn. Had an elevator with a gasoline engine set up in a double corn circle. The belt was slipping and he took an ear of corn trying to get it on better. The belt broke, wrapping around his hand, tearing it off at the wrist.
Burton Scott was helping, he took Mike to the hospital in his car. No ambulance back then! Phyllis and Helen were milking the cows and Phyllis was told to take Richard, who was 2 years old, to Grandpa and Grandma Whiteheads. They were sent down the road to walk the mile by themselves.
Dr Johnson put the hand back on but gangrene set in and was later removed at the elbow. He went home on Christmas Day, Try to imagine how brave Helen had to of been at that time when they had nothing and yet they both came through by the grace of God and their own hard work.
Do You Remember When…
Mike went to Tennessee with Ben and Skippy West to visit family. While gone Helen got the Mumps. Trying to do all the chores herself but was very sick. When Mike walked in the door on his arrival home the first thing Helen said to him was "I have never been so glad to see you in all my life".
Linda was born on Aug 19, 1948. Linda was the baby and in the hot summer days when Mike worked hard in the fields he would often lay down after dinner on the floor of the living room. Linda would always lie down beside him and take her nap also. Aunt Honny told the story of how when Linda started school Uncle Mike could no longer nap.
Do You Remember When…
Mike and Helen purchased the Home Place. It was March of 1951. All 3 kids went to the Kendrick school-riding baby June all those years. At Kendrick School there were lots of PTA meetings, Box suppers, Christmas programs and much fun was enjoyed by the whole neighborhood. Box suppers were especially fun. Linda and I always wanted someone to buy our mom’s box suppers as knew we would like the food. You ate with whoever bought the box. You could always get a good chocolate cake from Helen.
Do You Remember When…
Do You Remember Baby June… She was the most special horse in our lives. She turned to a dapple gray in her later years. When she died of old age Uncle Mike had her buried on the farm. When Phyllis went to high school there was no gravel so she rode June to the gravel road to meet the bus and would turn June loose to come home on her own.
Do You remember When…
Aunt Honny would drop anything she was doing when Uncle Mike came in with a dirty greasy hand to be washed. She would always head to the bathroom and scrub it with Lava and then go back to making her gravy without a word being said about it.
Do You Remember When…
Mike and Helen had their farm sale…It was another time in their lives that they had to have the grace of God get them through. It was Oct 24, 1983 moving to town Dec 3, 1983 in the Aunt Opal Brown place. Uncle Mike passed away there on Feb 4, 1984. On April 23, 1992 Aunt Honny bought the place she lives in today.
Might I say Aunt Honny you are remarkable, you rarely complain, you love visits and telephone calls. You are truly a treasure that has known poverty, hard work and what it is to do without and always remained a kind person.
I must mention all the beautiful quilts and handiwork you have made over the years. It was you that finished the afghan for my mom’s last grandchild. She would have liked knowing you did that.
I will finish this story with "Why Aunt Honny"? I am told it is Judy’s fault. She could not say Helen but could Honny. So now it has gone through to the next generation. You have been our Aunt Honny now for as long as I can remember and may we say it is a great blessing to have you with us at 90 years young. WE are truly blessed for it.
By Joyce Whitehead Orr